A Bill aimed at banning wet wipes which contain plastic has cleared its first hurdle in the House of Commons on 2nd November after a Labour MP proposed the new law. This proposal came as world leaders met in Glasgow for the Climate Change Summit and is ‘about time’ according to Tops Day Nurseries. Dorset-based Tops Day Nurseries; a group of over 30-day nurseries across the South and South West, have been making their own baby wipes for years after finding out that the baby wipes available on the market at that time all contained one-use plastic. One of the biggest reasons Tops stopped buying baby wipes is down to the amount of pollution they cause. Around 93% of sewer pipe blockages in the UK are caused by baby wipes, which can ultimately cause widespread pollution. The eco-sustainable childcare provider also found several irritants and chemicals in the commercially bought baby wipes which can aggravate delicate skin, whereas more natural, organic products can do the same job without those factors, and without it costing as much. Cheryl Hadland, Managing Director at Tops Day Nurseries, said: “Our whole ethos at Tops is to be sustainable and we are always looking for […]

To access the survey click: this link

Dorset has a thriving aquaculture sector and has been recognised by the Department for International Trade with the award of a High Potential Opportunity (HPO) for Sustainable Aquaculture(External link). The HPO is supported by the Dorset LEP and Dorset Council with the aquaculture sector being recognised locally as having the ability to provide rural and coastal community jobs across the county. In November 2020, the Seafood 2040 programme released The English Aquaculture Strategy(External link) (EAS). The EAS sets out the ambition to increase aquaculture production ten-fold over the next 20 years, and identifies the development of an English Aquaculture Innovation Hub as being critical to realising this. Additionally, the Dorset Mariculture Strategy(External link) (DMS), released in August 2020, identified the need for an Aquaculture Innovation Hub to develop the sector across the county. Dorset Coast Forum has secured funding from the Marine Management Organisation to further develop the concept of an English Aquaculture Innovation Hub. The five-month project will see: New Economics Foundation(External link) undertake an in-depth economic review of the English aquaculture sectorHatch Accelerator(External link) develop a robust business model and plan to enable the long-term operation of the Hub5G Rural Dorset(External link) develop a report to understand how […]

Travelling for pleasure is fun, we get to go to different places, and meet up with friends and family.

Most homes in the UK are heated by oil or gas, these are fossil fuels that have been laid down under the earth over millions of years.  The World Health Organisation recommends that we live at a minimum temperature of 18°C, but we can still conserve these fuels.  When you switch on a light or appliance you are drawing electricity from the national grid.  This electricity is generated from a range of sources: around 66% fossil fuels, 21% nuclear and 13% renewable, this balance changes constantly to view it now click here.  Further information at Wessex Energy  

On average people in Dorset throw away or recycle around 500kg of waste per year.  The council is currently rolling out an improved kerbside recycling scheme, collecting recyclables, food and garden waste – to read all about how this works and what happens to your waste click here You could also: Further information at Dorset Waste Partnership

An average Wessex Water customer uses 140 litres per day.  Do you have a meter, if so you can see how you compare with the average and set yourself a target.  The World Health Organisation recommends a minimum of 20 litres per person per day in order to maintain health and hygiene.  In the UK we are advised to drink 2 litres a day, but all our water is fit to drink, and a quarter goes straight down the toilet! If you don’t have a water meter yet, Wessex Water can fit one for free. Find out if you should get one here, then see how much you can save. Ten tips for saving water Further information at Wessex Water

Eat food you can trust from producers you know. With one in four lorries on the road carrying food, choosing local not only means you can know where it comes from, you will also be supporting the local economy and reducing food miles. You can also:   Further information at Local Food or Sustainable Food Cities

Dorset soup is a community based crowd-funding initiative for local people supporting local projects, DORSET SOUP IS: There have already been two successful SOUP events held in Bridport, and there will be a SOUP event in Bournemouth in April. The SOUP events are modelled on the DETROIT SOUP and more information can be found on their website, where you will find all the resources you need to host your own SOUP event in your community.

Repair Cafés are free meeting places and they’re all about repairing things (together). In the place where a Repair Café is located, you’ll find tools and materials to help you make any repairs you need. On clothes, furniture, electrical appliances, bicycles, crockery, appliances, toys, et cetera. You’ll also find expert volunteers, with repair skills in all kinds of fields. Visitors bring their broken items from home. Together with the specialists they start making their repairs in the Repair Café. It’s an ongoing learning process. If you have nothing to repair, you can enjoy a cup of tea or coffee. Or you can lend a hand with someone else’s repair job. You can also get inspired at the reading table – by leafing through books on repairs and DIY. Bournemouth hosts its own Repair Café and there are over thousand Repair Cafés worldwide. Take a look at their website for more information. You could even start one yourself!

  Sustainability Champions are your link to all things Sustainable in Dorset. If you are looking for local sustainable food, or want to know about community renewable energy, maybe you need something repaired, or want to start a Green Drinks. Whatever it is you’re looking for, our Sustainability Champions will be a great place to start. Drop them an email to make that connection and begin your sustainability journey. They will either know the answers to your questions straight away or will certainly know someone who will, or where to find out. Our Sustainability Champions are your link to all things Sustainable in Dorset. We are recruiting volunteer Sustainability Champions in your area.

Let's get together to buy the best food available, directly from local farmers and foodmakers.

Communities Living Sustainably (CLS) in Dorset ran with Big Lottery funding from 2013 to 2016, as a partnership managed by Dorset County Council, da21, and Dorset Community Action. It worked with a large number of local partner organisations and sub-contractors to implement activities on food, energy, woodlands, lifestyles, schools and climate change adaptation, in the area around Bridport and Dorchester. The project had several outcomes, including knowing how to live more sustainably, making greener choices, supporting the green economy and trying out new approaches. To achieve these outcomes, the project was sub-divided into several ‘strands’, two of which da21 hosted – local food and greener choices. Local food Changing behaviour around food is an extremely pressing and urgent issues. CLS raised awareness about a range of food issues and started new conversations about the need to shift towards sustainable food production and sustainable diets. The project provided an opportunity for local stakeholders to work together more closely on food issues, bringing people together who otherwise might never have coincided. There is still much to do, but seeds have been sown, and a solid basis created from which further work can now be done. Greener choices The greener choices strand sought […]

Dorset now has ten Fairtrade towns since Poole was most recently added to the ever-growing move towards a fairer way of doing trade. The Fairtrade mark is the most widely-recognised ethical label globally and 90% of the UK public trust the Fairtrade mark. Fairtrade seeks to combat the injustices that can be present in conventional trade and put people first. Fairtrade works with agreed, international standards designed and audited to ensure that producers in developing countries get a better deal. Fairtrade enables people to work their way out of poverty and build a more sustainable future for themselves and their families. Bournemouth, Poole, Wimborne Minster, Ferndown, Christchurch, Purbeck (Swanage and Wareham), Gillingham, Shaftesbury, Weymouth and Portland have all achieved Fairtrade Town status. You can help to support Fairtrade by looking for the Fairtrade logo every time you shop. And if your town isn’t yet a Fairtrade town, now’s the time to join the campaign and you can learn from your neighbours in Dorset just how to go about it. Fairtrade is something every one of us can be a part of. For more information visit the Fairtrade South West website.

If you love recycling, hate wasting things and are looking for a new way to do more for your local community, then Win-On-Waste is for you. Each month, save ordinary household items that would normally get thrown in the bin or the recycling, and donate them to local charities, community organisations, schools, faith groups and artists. Win On-Waste sessions are run by Ideas2Action, a small charity that runs community recycling projects across Bournemouth and Poole. They take place in Canford Heath, Creekmoor, Kinson and Southbourne. Once a month residents in these areas are asked to save specific items from their waste (e.g. milk bottle tops, biscuit wrappers, printer cartridges, deodorant cans) and donate them at a given venue. You can take part by saving up your waste to take along to the sessions and benefit some good causes. Or if you would like to see a Win-On-Waste event in your community then get in touch with Ideas2Action who can help you on your way.

Across Dorset, and indeed across the globe, people who care about the planet meet up at monthly informal sessions known as Green Drinks. You’ll find a lively mixture of people from the community, NGOs, academia, government and business. Come along and you’ll be made welcome. Just say, “Are you green?” and you will be looked after you and introduced to whoever is there. It’s a great way of catching up with people you know and also for making new contacts. Everyone invites someone else along, so there’s always a different crowd, making Green Drinks an organic, self-organising network. These events are very simple and unstructured, but many people have found employment, made friends, developed new ideas, done deals and had moments of serendipity. Visit our events calendar to check out when the next one is on where you live, or if there is no Green Drinks near you, you might want to set up a Green Drinks in your town.

Apple Day – Transition Dorchester Transition Town Dorchester had a lovely sunny day for Apple Day, held this year on October 1st at the Railway Orchard.  Our wassailing earlier this year had clearly worked, since we had an abundant crop of apples from both orchards. We had a group of willing children to pick the remaining apples on the trees, and the rest of us came armed with chopping boards and knives to cut up the apples ready to be macerated.  The shreds were then put into the apple press and beautiful golden juice, sweet and tangy, came out of the holes in the container – it was a sort of special autumn magic happening right before our eyes! We now have two apple presses, and there was a big crowd of us working flat out for several hours.  But whereas in the past we could easily deal with all the apples on all our trees in one day, we have realised that trees have a way of growing and we now have far more apples than we ever had before!  So we may be doing another pressing later in the month.

Donate with Co-op The Co-op Local Community Fund is a way of giving back to local communities Every time you use your Co-op membership card to buy Co-op branded goods and services you’ll earn 5% to spend and 1% for a good cause in your community. Dorset Agenda 21 is one of the local causes that you can choose to support if you live in the Dorchester area. When you choose da21 we will receive 1% donation every time you buy Co-op goods It’s very simple to do: 1. Become a Co-op member here 2. Sign up to the members page here 3. Choose da21 as your Community Fund Cause And remember to show your membership card at the till whenever you shop at the Co-op. Thank you for your support. Participating stores: Co-operative Foodstore Dorchester,Co-operative Foodstore Crossways andCo-operative Funeral Care, Dorchester

Transition is a movement of communities coming together to reimagine and rebuild our world. It brings people together to counter the effects of climate change and economic instability to create a more sustainable future. The Transition is an international movement that began in the UK and has been growing since 2005.  It is about communities stepping up to address the big challenges they face by starting local.  By coming together, they are able to crowd-source solutions. They seek to nurture a caring culture, one focused on supporting each other, both as groups or as wider communities. Dorset has six active Transition Towns and each one has it’s own unique way of building communities, forging strong local links, reclaiming the economy, sparking entrepreneurship  and weaving webs of connection and support. Search our website for your local group to see how you can get involved.  

Sustainability Champions for Dorset In addition to our new Sustainable Dorset website we are launching ‘Sustainability Champions’. This new initiative gives us the ability to engage with the public in a very local and personal manner. It will help to provide place-specific, relevant and up-to-date advice and information to the public, attracting them into more sustainable ways of being. It creates a rich and vibrant countywide sustainability network of joined-up thinking and collaboration. How does it Work? If you are looking for local sustainable food, or want to know about community renewable energy, maybe you need something repaired, or want to start a Green Drinks. Whatever it is you’re looking for, our volunteer Sustainability Champions will be a great place to start. Drop them an email to make that connection and begin your sustainability journey. They will either know the answers to your questions straight away or will certainly know someone who will, or where to find out. Our Sustainability Champions are your link to all things Sustainable in Dorset. Do you want to be a Sustainability Champion? We are recruiting volunteer Sustainability Champions in your area. If you would like to be the go-to person for sustainability in your town, […]

Making Christmas Count Count on Me has had a busy year after its launch in June 2016. The year ended with a Christmas campaign to encourage people to think about how they could reduce their impact on the planet over the festive season, and make their Christmas count. The Count on Me team were out in Bournemouth Square on a busy shopping Saturday before Christmas to show how it is possible to enjoy the festivities and yet reduce emissions by up to 1500kgs CO2. They were giving advice on how to reduce spending and choose gifts wisely, encouraging people to think about reducing their waste of food and energy. Other tips, which can also be incorporated throughout the year, included choosing low carbon food, like meat-free options and buying locally sourced produce, limiting travel and using public transport. The campaign designed by Angela Fendley and run with the support of Transition Bournemouth and the BH green Group has already saved almost 400,000kgs of CO2 – that’s equivalent to filling the Bournemouth Balloon 40 times over! The carbon counter is an easy concept to grasp and offers an ideal opportunity to talk to people about our changing climate and how we […]

A Second Helping of Bridport Soup Bridport is getting ready for another serving of a special soup that makes a difference – Bridport Soup 2. The innovative fundraising evening is inspired by the format of the original Detroit Soup – four local projects that will benefit the community pitch for four minutes each to an audience that’s allowed to ask them four questions.  The audience has paid on the door for a delicious soup supper and after they’ve eaten and discussed the projects there’s a vote – and the winning pitch is given all the takings from the evening for their project.  Instant crowd funding – with soup. Jonny Gordon-Farleigh, local supporter of social enterprises and founder of Stir to Action has long been excited by the potential of the Detroit Soup model and worked with Linda Hull from Communities Living Sustainably to bring it to Bridport.  He says “In five years in Detroit they’ve raised $127,164 for community projects and in the process helped to develop a local culture of collaboration and democracy that’s creative and social”. The youngest pitchers from the night Matt McCourtie and Joe Hewetson from the Community Youth Project won the first Bridport Soup four months […]

Tesla Powerwall comes to Southbourne Soo Chapman and her son Richard kindly welcomed visitors to their home in Southbourne to view the many carbon-saving improvements they’ve made to this large Edwardian house since 2009 – including their brand new Tesla Powerwall. Anyone with an interest in climate change and energy use will be familiar with entrepreneur Elon Musk and his groundbreaking mega-scale Gigafactory and Tesla Motors companies, aiming to reduce global warming through sustainable energy production and consumption. The Powerwall is the latest innovation, developed to deal with the problem that solar panels only produce power when the sun shines. The Tesla Powerwall is a domestic-scale lithium ion battery that stores the energy generated by the sun so that it can be used at night or when cloudy. When the Powerwalls became available in the UK earlier this year, Soo’s son Richard did the research and ordered one (7kWh). It was installed in August at a cost of around £5000. The key technologies used in Soo’s all-electric house are: Their electricity supplier is Ecotricity which is 100% from renewable sources and profits are channelled back into building more solar farms and wind turbines. It will be interesting to see how the […]

Planet Earth Needs Our Help In October 2016, Poole Library launched the book Planet Earth Needs Our Help by local artist and writer Marylyn Cropley, with a creative family workshop event. The workshop presented by Marylyn prompted Poole Library to showcase other childrens’ books on related topics, and to exhibit these alongside Planet Earth Needs Our Help. After listening to the story, children aged 5-11 years created their own illustrations inspired by the book. Adults accompanying the children found the book helpful in giving them a simple introduction and overview of Climate Change issues. Planet Earth Needs Our Help, a self-published book, is a stand-alone, easy-to-read, storybook for children, introducing the topic of climate change. It presents a ‘springboard’ to other activities and information, for use by schools, libraries, discovery/educational centres, organisations and families with young children. It comes with notes that link to each page of the book, introducing subjects relating to caring for our planet, and raising awareness on the impact of global warming, and our lifestyles, on our planet and its inhabitants. Over the past year the books have been purchased by parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and school governors, and the local RSPB have presented this book […]

Sustainability Champions In addition to our new Sustainable Dorset website we are launching ‘Sustainability Champions’. This new initiative gives us the ability to engage with the public in a very local and personal manner. It will help to provide place-specific, relevant and up-to-date advice and information to the public, attracting them into more sustainable ways of being. It creates a rich and vibrant countywide sustainability network of joined-up thinking and collaboration. How does it Work? If you are looking for local sustainable food, or want to know about community renewable energy, maybe you need something repaired, or want to start a Green Drinks. Whatever it is you’re looking for, our volunteer Sustainability Champions will be a great place to start. Drop them an email to make that connection and begin your sustainability journey. They will either know the answers to your questions straight away or will certainly know someone who will, or where to find out. Our Sustainability Champions are your link to all things Sustainable in Dorset. Do you want to be a Sustainability Champion? We are recruiting volunteer Sustainability Champions in your area. If you would like to be the go-to person for sustainability in your town, or would […]

Community Supported Agriculture Over the last year Adam and Dee have been working hard to set up Southern Roots Organics, an organic market garden on land they rent from Lower Hewood Farm, and now they need your help! Last year they supplied local restaurants, cafes and pubs with their produce and now they want to produce more to meet this demand and to supply local households with their vegetables as well. They are starting a Community Supported Agriculture scheme – This is a fairly new model where people join as members and buy a ‘share of the harvest’ – equating to a big box of fresh vegetables for 32 weeks between mid June 2017 and the end of Jan 2018. This model is growing in popularity around the UK and Europe and offers some real advantages over many traditional forms of direct, local sales. By committing to support them for the growing season, members help make farming more predictable with and secure income, lower risks and stronger relationships with the people who eat our produce. In return members get fantastic quality vegetables at a fair price, and a relationship to the people and land that produce their food. This model […]

Students at Bournemouth University Celebrate Go Green Week! Last week Bournemouth University Students showed that they care about the environment by taking part in the national Go Green Week. The week’s events were organised by their very own Green Taskforce, which works on a variety of environmental issues on campus. The Go Green Week was organised with the aim of educating and getting students involved with environmental issues. They hosted a Green film night, showing the film Mission Blue and they learnt about our oceans and marine life. Eco-beauty was on student’s minds as they discovered how to make their own beauty products with fresh natural ingredients. They also whipped up smoothies using pedal power alone on our smoothie bike, learnt more about the fracking industry and the effects it will have on our planet and the students took part in an ever popular Beach Clean featuring Shark Eggs hunt in collaboration with local charity Shark Stuff. Transition Bournemouth took part with their Count On Me carbon counter signing up students to show how collectively our individual activities do make a difference locally, and to the planet. Student & staff carbon savings amounted to 58,660 bringing the current total to […]

How does your Community benefit from Resilience Planning? There is a need for communities in Dorset to raise awareness of resilience to emergencies and disasters which could affect their residents and the local environment. The delivery of Community Resilience Planning in Dorset is undertaken at the town and parish council level. With some expert guidance provided by the Local Resilience Forum (LRF), local community leaders in Dorset have in recent years begun to consider the risks which face the areas they live and work in. The LRF is made up of public agencies such as Local Authorities, Emergencies Services and Health Providers. Each community has the option to create a Resilience Plan which identifies some of the key existing assets that can be used locally at critical periods. These may include the following: Farmers with snow ploughs 4×4 vehicles Vets Places of safety Community Resilience Plans present a strategy for working with public agencies to allow a community to recover from emergencies using some of its own resources. This might involve some other key actions, such as: Identifying and supporting vulnerable people during a crisis Maintaining accessibility across the community Supporting businesses and trade If you are interested in learning […]

Time for a Taste of Crowdfunding. If you are looking for funds for a sustainable project you would like to run in the Bournemouth area, then read on. And if you would like to eat soup and support one such project then read on too….. In the past six years Soup events have been taking the world by storm, and now for the first time Soup is coming to Bournemouth! Starting in Detroit in the aftermath of the financial crash, Soup gathered people from around the city to eat food together, and crowd fund for local community projects. The idea took off, and has since found success in over 60 different locations in the UK alone. Now, on Saturday 29th April at the Wellspring Centre in Boscombe, the first Bournemouth Soup will welcome up to 150 people to eat soup together, and to hear from four community projects from around Bournemouth. With a suggested donation of £5 on the door, up to £750 will be raised for one project to take away at the end of the evening. Each community project gets four minutes to talk about what they do, and then the audience can ask each project four further questions about their work, […]

By Harming the Oceans we are also Harming Ourselves. A new feature length adventure-documentary film is coming to Dorset for the first time since it’s official release earlier this year. In the film A Plastic Ocean (12A) an international team of adventurers, researchers, and ocean ambassadors go on a mission around the globe to uncover the shocking truth about what is lurking beneath the surface of our seemingly pristine Ocean. It is estimated that 8 million tonnes of plastic waste enter the seas every year and it’s accumulating. Large pieces of plastic break-up into smaller pieces called micro-plastic. Discarded ‘Ghost’ fishing nets drift through oceans snaring everything in their path. Disposable wrap, bottles and packaging used on average for just 12 minutes will last a lifetime, even longer, littering the seabed, surface & coast. A Plastic Ocean brings to light the consequences of our global disposable lifestyle. We thought we could use plastic and throw it away with negligible impact to humans and animals. That turns out to be untrue. The result will astound viewers–just as it did the adventurers–who captured never-before-seen images of marine life, plastic pollution, and its ultimate consequences for human health. A Plastic Ocean with special […]

More than 8 million tons of plastic are dumped into our oceans every year! Packaging accounts for just over 40% of total plastic usage. Over 100 billion plastic beverage bottles are sold in the U.S alone each year. Annually approximately 500 billion plastic bags are used worldwide each with a “working life” of a mere 15 minutes. Here are some simple ideas for you to adopt to reduce your plastic usage and waste: Take your own bag to the shops Drink tap water and carry it in your own stainless steel bottle Don’t buy body scrubs – those tiny beads are usually made of plastic Choose fruit and vegetables that are not wrapped in plastic Don’t use ‘single use’ plates, knives, forks etc. wash up after you eat. Wherever you can, choose liquid products that can be re-filled rather than bought new etc. Refuse plastic straws in your drinks, try stainless steel or paper. If you can’t find an alternative to single-use plastic, make sure you recycle it Don’t celebrate with balloon releases, the chances are the balloons will land in the ocean, choking seabirds, turtles and marine mammals. Use crystal deodorants – they last far longer, are more effective […]

Film Screening of A Plastic Ocean. Queen Elizabeth School in Wimborne was the venue for the latest screening of A Plastic Ocean – a film that has gained a huge following worldwide, and widespread publicity as it attempts to highlight the plight of our oceans, to educate and be part of the solution. The 200 strong audience gathered at the event hosted by Ecotainment to watch as images unfolded of the majesty of blue whales gracefully diving in the ocean. However, it was not long before scenes of destruction replaced these beautiful images as we saw dolphins caught up by tangled plastic cords and the seabed littered with discarded plastic bottles and debris. The plastic that doesn’t sink to the bottom gets broken down into tiny fragments of microplastics that then get mistaken for food by fish and eaten along with the plankton. This harmful ingested plastic then leeches chemicals into the stomachs of the fish and so it begins its infiltration into out food chain. The effects of this on humans are hormonal problems, reproductive problems, nervous system damage and kidney damage. As well as damage to us, the harm that we are doing to our oceans and wildlife […]

Saturday Night Voting with a Difference. When it comes to audience participation it doesn’t get much more participatory than at a SOUP event. In a hall of over seventy assembled residents from across Bournemouth this week, this was voting with a difference. Instead of the usual Saturday night entertainment of at-home TV viewers passing judgement on, or voting for light-hearted acts trying their best on stage, this was Bournemouth SOUP, live at the Wellspring Centre in Boscombe, and the voting was meaningful, supportive and community-spirited. The Projects Four chosen projects each got the opportunity to pitch for four minutes, sharing their ideas and projects, with a chance of taking the prize of the cash on the door. The audience then asked questions about the projects; who were they; how they would deliver; what support did they have; how would they benefit Bournemouth; and what they would spend the money on. The pitchers, introduced by Michael French, were from CENTRE MYSELF a group aiming to instil confidence in young women using a holistic approach; COMMUNITY FRIDGE an idea to share quality surplus food that would have been thrown away; CHANCE a group of young teenagers planning a FREE Community cinema for […]

GET IT FROM THE SUN. Could Dorset be home to the first to have an all-renewable electricity supply? This would be a dream come true for Professor Keith Barnham, distinguished Research Fellow and Emeritus Professor of Physics Imperial College London. Prof Barnham came to give a talk in Dorset at the meeting of the Wessex Energy & Environmental Management Group in Blandford Forum, Dorset on 15th May. This was a follow-up talk to the one given at the Dorset Agenda 21 AGM in 2015. He demonstrated how public support for renewable energy remains high in the UK despite government cuts to investments and incentives. Solar energy is a firm favourite with over 80% of the public approval. This is closely followed by Offshore and Onshore wind. Nuclear power and fracking continue to be those least favoured. He highlighted the disparity of the renewable energy supply in the UK over that of Germany where government investment has continued and they now have a very affordable renewable electricity supply. As well as putting pressure on our representatives to ensure that renewable energy is not overlooked in the future there are ways that we can continue to act locally and increase take-up of these […]

Sustainable Dorset receives a boost.     We are pleased to announce that we have been granted funding from The Big Lottery’s Awards for All to continue our work promoting sustainability across Dorset. The grant will be used to fund a part-time Community Engagement Officer, Angela Fendley, who will support, coordinate and connect local communities. Andrew Barker, Chair of Trustees of Sustainable Dorset, said ‘We are delighted to be able to contribute further, through both Angela’s work and our extended website, to raising awareness of the positive role everyone in Dorset can make to a sustainable future for this county’ Angela is upbeat about progress that is already being made in Dorset. “I am excited that there is so much going on in the region to be positive about, and I’m looking forward to sharing and celebrating this, and prove through our actions that we can build a place to live where we can thrive without causing harm to our fragile and precious planet.” We would love to hear from anyone who has a sustainable good news project, story or event to share. And if you know anyone who would like to become involved as a volunteer Sustainability Champion please get […]

Powering Dorset Together Event. As part of community energy fortnight, Sustainable Dorset was delighted to attend this inspirational event on 29 June in Dorchester hosted by RegenSW, which showed just how much renewable energy there is in Dorset, and what the potential is for more communities to join the energy revolution. There was a good turnout of local residents, campaigners, council staff, and community energy groups from across the region coming together to celebrate and explore the future possibilities for renewables. We heard an excellent presentation from Jodie Giles, senior project manager for Regen, which highlighted that the South West topped the national league for installed renewable generation in 2016, but that Dorset only came 5th out of the five South West counties. Electricity generation from renewables in the region ranges from 25% in Christchurch down to just 1% in Bournemouth and Weymouth, which leaves plenty of room for improvement.    And more improvement will be needed if we are to reach our 80% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, or indeed meet the Paris target of no more than a 2 degrees Celsius rise in global temperatures. How this will be achieved when the UK Government has progressively decimated support […]

The Count On Me campaign, launched in June 2016, has had a very productive year. The people of Bournemouth have keenly participated in cutting carbon emissions, to protect the future of our town, and the planet. The good news is that a damaging 516,360 kgs of CO2 has been saved from the atmosphere, an amount that would have filled Bournemouth Balloon fifty times over! The Count On Me team of volunteers has been out and about encouraging thoughtful low-carbon choices for ways to travel and change purchasing habits. Much discussed were locally sourced items, meat-free days, local food growing and public transport as fitting ways to combat the impacts climate change. Each of these activities and choices has a numerical value attached to it representing the amount of CO2 equivalent you could be saving over a year. Once added together collectively it can be seen that every action moves us in the right direction towards combatting not just climate change but social inequality, environmental degradation and unsustainable consumption. Sustainability Communicator Angela Fendley FRSA designed the campaign and has run it with the support of Transition Bournemouth and the BH Green Group with funding from Green Goals. Bournemouth Borough Council has backed the campaign […]

Ideas2Action Second Recycling Awards 2017. Following on from the success of the first Recycling Awards event last year Ideas2Action would once again like to recognise the people who love recycling and helping their local communities as well as reducing waste. Each year Ideas2Action meet and hear of so many people who go that extra mile when it comes to recycling, so if you know anyone and would like to nominate them (please get their agreement that they are happy to be nominated, they don’t want to choose a winner and find they are unhappy about it!), The categories are listed below. Adult recycler (over 18) A team of recyclers from a private/statutory/voluntary organisation A team of recycling volunteers (a group of individuals who come together to recycle) The No 1 recycler (someone who has really gone the extra mile) Young recycler (under 18) A private/statutory/voluntary organisation whose employees recycle (but not where its main business is recycling). The Awards Ceremony will take place on Friday 29 September, 7pm in the Cattistock Room, Poole Civic Centre. Closing date for nominations 18 August, 2017.

Wimborne War on Waste, Saving the World, one Coffee Cup at a Time. Wimborne was buzzing on Saturday 22nd July 2017, however it wasn’t the caffeine from the coffee that was providing the kick but the excitement around what you do with the disposable cups that it’s served in. Reclaimed coffee cups formed arrows at the entrance to the Allendale Centre showing the way to the Coffee Cup Awareness event hosted by the newly formed group Wimborne War on Waste. The hall was adorned with coffee cup bunting, and an amazing array of hats and fascinators worn by both the organisers and event participants which had been made with old coffee cups and recycled odds and ends from the Dorset Scrapstore. The mood was exuberant helped along with music from The Midnight Voids, The Wimborne Ukulele Band and Just Sing choir. However the message was clear – we need to reduce the amount of rubbish and single-use plastic we generate – especially disposable coffee cups and those little pesky lids. Each minute 5,000 single-use cups are thrown away in the UK. The event, supported by the Wimborne Minster BID and Litter Free Dorset, was the brainchild of organisers Sarah Wise […]

Travel the World of Solutions. If you watch just one film this year about what our future could look like, then this should be the one! The young DEMAIN film crew, backed by an amazing soundtrack, lead you on their journey that leaves you feeling positive and inspired, knowing that action is necessary and worthwhile. Tomorrow (Demain) has had a phenomenal impact on audiences in France and Belgium and the Transition Town Network has negotiated the rights to distribute it in the UK. It tells the story of the search for solutions to the crisis humanity faces. It is a hugely positive, affirming and inspirational film, exploring creative solutions in the fields of food, energy, transport, economics and education. It visits projects relating to permaculture farms, urban agriculture, community-owned renewable energy, local currencies, creative schools and ambitious recycling activity. It has been a huge boost to community-led projects. The project was launched by a crowdfunding campaign to raise 200,000 euros but in just 2 months the amount raised was 444,390 euros. The film premiered in Paris during C0P21 in December 2015, is currently on release in 29 other countries and began its UK rollout on 24 January with simultaneous screenings in the leading Transition Towns of Totnes, Todmorden, and Bristol. The recent screening by Transition Town Poole was […]

We are Pleased to Introduce our New Sustainability Champions. These dedicated individuals from across Dorset each have a unique way of working within their community, but what they share is a common aim to see a more sustainable Dorset. They have been recruited as volunteer Sustainability Champions and if you’re looking for local information or advice on sustainability then these will be the people to speak to. Sustainability Champions – Your Local Link to all things Sustainable in Dorset Our new initiative aims to build a rich and vibrant network of Sustainability Champions across Dorset, Each Champion will represent their own local area, whilst together creating a county-wide collaborative partnership to share and support sustainability in the region. Connect with the Champions in your Area You might want to know how to get something repaired; or find your local Green Drinks; campaign about environmental issues; try out an electric bike; or know where to recycle those unwanted items. Wherever you are in Dorset or whatever it is you’re looking for, Dorset’s Sustainability Champions will either know the answer or certainly know someone who will, or where to find out. Connect with the Champion in your area, Bournemouth, Poole, Christchurch, Blandford […]

A Timely Reminder of how Nature Sustains Us. Recent news has been dominated by a phenomenon carving a 100 mile swathe across America. The total eclipse of the sun. This event created such interest that millions of people took the day off to find the best place within and along the path to witness it. It also created a deep emotional response; this was an event that proved there are great unfathomable forces in the world completely outside our understanding and control. It also reminds us that one of the purposes of our organisation, Sustainable Dorset, is to draw attention to the supremacy of the sustainability of life on Earth. The Sun – our Energy, our Lifeforce The eclipse literally shut off completely the energy for the area affected needed to sustain life, albeit for just over two minutes. It takes just a miniscule quantity of the energy provided by the Sun to power the process whereby organisms, especially green plants, synthesise carbohydrates from carbon dioxide and water to produce their growth, the process of photosynthesis. In the process, Nature remarkably releases its only form of waste product, oxygen, ironically, the basis of life on earth. This process produces the […]

Growing Transition in Blandford Forum. Recycling can be about finding new life in something left in a cupboard, unloved and almost forgotten. And for local resident Vlad Gorre, that something – the whole Transition Project in Blandford Forum, was too big to stay in the back of the cupboard! The old group is returning bigger and better and brimming with ideas, some old, some new and probably some recycled! In less than a month the group is up and running – raising money, raising awareness and building a network of volunteers, interested parties and local organisations. Several local councillors have chipped in to cover start up costs, such as public liability insurance and their shiny new website. They have collaborated with the Allotment, The Parish Church and the Town Museum who have all supported them and been involved with the recent Apple Pressing days. The group is ambitious and want to make Blandford a beacon for Transition in Dorset by working on projects that can run as businesses and pay for themselves to make them truly sustainable, and self-sufficient. Organiser Vlad says “To make a real difference you need to change more, you have to change everyday life.” While he is […]

Damers students win National Young Enterprise Award. A group of young 5-8 year old students from Damers First School in Poundbury, Dorchester recently cleaned up during a visit to Clarence House! The visit was in recognition of their double award winning National Young Enterprise Fiver Challenge product. Spick ‘n’ Span is an eco friendly multipurpose cleaner, which has made a profit of £620. The children have put this money together with the £915 they made last year (from the award winning Garden Grenades – recycled paper pulp with added wildflower seeds) to buy the school a giant solar powered stop watch for the playground. They received their awards for Best Group and Most Profitable Product. The trip was really special as Clarence House is only open to the public during August. The day was organised by their teacher Edd Moore and Mark Jankovich CEO of Delphis Eco. The children got the chance to speak to Prince Charles’ Sustainability Officer who told them all about the Prince’s eco work, especially his new passion for protecting our oceans. They then had a tour of the house and the gardens. “I am so proud of the children in Damers Eco Crew,” said their […]

  The Environmental Benefits of Eating Less Meat. It is becoming increasingly well known that reducing our consumption of meat and animal products can be a healthier option for us and is also much better for the planet. Animal agriculture is one of the most damaging activities for our planet, and including the byproducts of animals, accounts for up to 51% of global carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions. The illustration below shows the environmental impact of our food choices by comparing the daily carbon footprints of different diets, each with varying degrees of meat consumption. The levels of meat used in the meat-eater groups: High meat-eater (100grams or more per day) Medium meat-eaters (50 – 99 grams per day) Low meat-eater (less than 50 grams per day) To give you an idea of these quantities, a quarter pound burger is 113 grams and a chicken breast around 150 grams. As you can see, changing from a medium-meat diet to a vegan diet reduces one’s Carbon Foodprint by almost half. Even reducing from high-meat to low-meat diet has a saving of 35%. It is clear that changing our eating habits can bring about a substantial reduction to our personal carbon footprints, […]

A Very ‘Satishfying’ Day for Resurgence Dorset. On Saturday 9th December, our North Dorset Sustainability Champion, Pam Rosling and her group Resurgence Dorset, had the honour of hosting a special day at Hilfield Friary with Satish Kumar, the eminent peace and environment activist, and Editor Emeritus of the environmental magazine Resurgence & Ecologist. After a shared vegetarian lunch with the group, Satish delivered an inspiring talk based on his latest book ‘Soil, Soul and Society’ with the important message that: “We are all members of a one-earth society, and caring for the earth and soul is interrelated”. Dave Haith, one of over 40 attendees, had great pleasure in hearing Kumar’s talk “At last – hopefully not too late – the world is recognising the value of the message planted in the minds and spirits of so many by charismatic figures like Satish.” Angela Fendley, Sustainable Dorset’s Community Engagement Officer found his talk most uplifting. “His unwavering commitment to his beliefs is impressive, and he reminds us that we must stop seeing nature just as a resource and recognise that we are nature.” When he was only nine years old, Satish joined the wandering brotherhood of Jain monks, before becoming a campaigner […]

Beach Hut Café wants to Clean Up our Coastline A New Year often heralds New Year’s resolutions and for Ron and Jo in Christchurch this is no exception. It’s been out with the old and in with the new as they had an environmental clean sweep on the takeaway packaging they give out to the customers of their much-loved café. The Beach Hut Café, situated at Friars Cliff decided to make the changes after being moved by the devastating scenes of plastic pollution that were shown on the BBC’s Blue Planet II. With the café being situated right on the beach they felt they couldn’t ignore the harm that is being done to our oceans. Jo Smith is proud of the fact that they have got rid of their plastic packaging and replaced with 100% compostable cups, beakers, carry out containers, wooden cutlery and paper straws. “We are also offering our customers a 20p discount if they bring their own cup for their coffee”. She says that she has had two people already come in with their own cups today and expects the trend to continue. They announced their move on Facebook and have had more likes and comments than […]

Refill Schemes are now rolling out across the UK. Refill is a national, practical tap water campaign that aims to make refilling your bottle as easy, convenient and cheap as possible by introducing refill points on every street. How does it work? Participating cafes, bars, restaurants, banks, galleries, museums and other businesses simply put a sticker in their window – alerting passers-by to the fact they’re welcome to come on in and fill up their bottle – for free! Download the free Refill rewards app to see where you can Refill on the go, or add new places to Refill yourself! No Refill stations where you live? Start adding them to the map!   The free Refill rewards app allows you to add Refill stations to the map. Just press and hold the point on the map you want to add a Refill point and follow the instructions! It’s super simple to populate your local village, town or city with Refill stations so you need never buy a plastic bottle again! City to Sea launched Refill Bristol in September 2015 and there are now over 1,600 Refill points around the UK. The app has been supported by LitterFree Coast & Sea and has been up and […]

Wimborne War on Waste and Plastic Pollution. Plastic pollution has been a hot topic in the news as of late. We reported on the Beach Hut Café in Christchurch who were inspired by Blue Planet 2 to make some radical changes to their takeaway packaging, and Litter Free Coast and Sea are now also running ‘Plastic Surgeries’ to help fast food outlets across Dorset cut their single-use packaging. A group of concerned residents in Wimborne took up the plastic baton last year and our Sustainability Champion Mitch went along to meet the lovely people from Wimborne War on Waste to find out what they’ve been up to. They recently collaborated with Waitrose in Wimborne for a ‘reusable cup drive’ and had a stand outside promoting various plastic alternatives. The main focus was on using a reusable cup instead of the single use ones you can get for your takeaway drink. Using a reusable cup instead of a single-use one each time saves on the energy and materials needed to make those cups, and also cuts down on waste. Until recently, it wasn’t widely possible to recycle the single use cups, however a recent scheme from the Dorset Waste Partnership means […]

Sustainable Dorset at Launch of Eco Hub. Sustainable Dorset were delighted to be at the launch event of the new Eco Hub in the Dolphin Shopping Centre on 7th April 2018. This exciting new hub is in the heart of the shopping centre in Poole in the recently vacated New Look premises. It is a dedicated space where shoppers can relax, create and learn. It is part of the shopping centre’s continued work to commit to sustainable best practice and will provide a place for local groups and organisations to connect with the public. There are plans for workshops, events, talks and exhibitions in the coming months. Angela Fendley our Community Engagement Officer says “This is a fantastic space for community groups to use for free to encourage more thoughtful and sustainable ways of living. It will allow the public to discover new and easy ways to care for our planet through their choices in what they buy, and what they do with their waste, helping tackle problems like plastic pollution.” Transition Town Poole were at the launch and would like to use the space later in the year to highlight their ongoing projects such as Turner’s Nursery Community Orchard, […]

New Programme Launched to Reduce Dorset’s Carbon Footprint. This week sees the launch of Low Carbon Dorset, a new programme of activities which will help boost Dorset’s low carbon economy, and reduce its carbon footprint. Through the programme, Dorset based businesses, public sector and community organisations can access free support and a fund pot of over £2.15m to help improve their energy efficiency and develop renewable energy projects. The three year programme, led by Dorset County Council in partnership with Dorset Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), is now open for applications and expects to benefit more than 100 organisations across the county. Cllr Daryl Turner, Cabinet member for the Natural and Built Environment at Dorset County Council said: “This is a great example of Dorset’s efforts to build a ‘green’ economy, and will enable local businesses, public bodies and community organisations to save money and work together to reduce the county’s carbon footprint. “It will be exciting to see what innovative low carbon projects and approaches this programme will inspire here in Dorset.” Support will be available to organisations and community projects through this European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) backed project in the form of technical advice and grant […]

Could you go a Year without a Car? Our Community Engagement Officer Angela Fendley decided to do just that – to live more sustainably and reduce her reliance on fossil fuels. Here she tells how she fared… A year ago I made the bold step to sell my car (and not replace it!) to make a concerted effort to travel more sustainably.   I’ve always cycled and regularly enjoyed getting out and about by bike. Bournemouth has some great corridors for cycling away from traffic (think Bournemouth Gardens, the Stour Valley, and not forgetting the seven miles of coastal promenade). However, my cycling was very much of a fair-weather variety. It was very convenient with a car parked outside my front door, and for me at least this was a huge barrier to choosing the bike over the car as my primary mode of transport. Even though I logically knew the advantages of cycling vs driving; better for my health, cheaper to run, less CO2 emissions, better for the planet, it was often the car that won out. The excuses I would come up with were endless. ‘I’ll go by car. It looks like it might rain.’ ‘I can’t go […]

Landscapes and Local People. The Dorset AONB Sustainable Development Fund aims to get local people thinking about how they can help keep the landscape in great shape for future generations to enjoy. Now in its thirteenth year, they are proud to have funded over 200 local projects, all very different but all with the local landscape at their core. This year they have £25,000 to allocate to projects and the closing date is 27th May 2018. To find further information about the fund, projects they have supported and to apply, please visit the Dorset AONB website. If you would like to discuss your project and potential application, please contact Ian Rees, Dorset AONB Countryside Officer Ian Rees

Show your Support for the Natural World. A new crowdfunding campaign has gone live in Dorset to provide a copy of The Lost Words by Robert Macfarlane and Jackie Morris to every Infant, Primary and Junior School in Dorset. Deadline 10th May 2018 Inspired by Jane Beaton’s wonderful campaign – to get a copy of The Lost Words into every primary school in Scotland – three local pioneers have decided to do something similar, and get a copy into every primary school in Dorset. The Lost Words was created by Robert MacFarlane and Jackie Morris in October 2017 to celebrate once-common “nature” words – from acorn and wren, to starling and dandelion – that were dropped from the Oxford Junior Dictionary some ten years before. The book takes twenty of the words that have been falling out of use amongst children – such as adder, kingfisher and bramble – and brings them back to life, through the magical paintings of Jackie Morris and the ‘spell poems’ of Robert Macfarlane They would love all primary age children in Dorset to have the opportunity to share in what this book has to offer. Depending on how you count them, there are about 180 schools in […]

Bringing a Zero Waste Shop to the people of Bridport and Beyond. You can’t have failed to notice the national media attention on plastic pollution in our oceans that has been sparked by Blue Planet II. Locally it has acted as a catalyst for change; many have been to see the Dorset film screenings of A Plastic Ocean, people have begun to act more responsibly to reduce single-use plastics and hundreds have taken part in the clean-up campaigns of our coastal litter. In Bridport four spirited ladies have taken this step even further in order to help local residents reduce plastic usage, reduce their impact on the planet and help forge stronger connections in the community. For Alex Green and her colleagues Kate Robertson, Lora Pascoe and Libby Rogers, turning towards a more plastic free way of life seems like a no-brainer. As Mothers raising their children in the town of Bridport and also growing up in Bridport as children themselves, the Jurassic coast and it’s beaches have been an integral part of their lives- the recent news of huge plastic presence in the Oceans spurning a want to make a cleaner future. Living sustainably and teaching their children to […]

New ‘Green’ Village Hall secures £10K funding from Low Carbon Dorset. Charlton Marshall Village Hall has become the first beneficiary of Low Carbon Dorset, a new County Council led programme set-up to boost Dorset’s low carbon economy, and reduce its carbon footprint. The £10K grant from Low Carbon Dorset will contribute to a brand-new energy efficient building. This will replace the village’s current wooden hall, built in the mid 1930’s, which is becoming increasingly expensive to run, and no-longer fit for purpose. The funding will pay for a variety of renewable and energy efficiency measures. To include a hybrid air-source heat pump, powered by solar PV panels, and LED lighting throughout. Helping the hall excel energy efficiency standards and reduce future energy bills. Funding for these installations and construction of the new hall comes in part from Low Carbon Dorset through European Regional Development Funding (ERDF), with further funding secured by the community from other sources. Cllr Hilary Cox, the elected councillor for Winterbourne, said of the project “the development of a new village hall has been embraced by the whole village enthusiastically, and the award of the Low Carbon Dorset grant demonstrates the community’s awareness of their carbon footprint.” […]

New project for Ideas2Action – Win on Waste on Wheels. Local charity, Ideas2Action is delighted to say that they have appointed a Co-ordinator for their pilot project Win on Waste on Wheels: Simon O’Connor. “I’m really looking forward to making Win on Waste on Wheels a success for the benefits it will bring to isolated older people’s wellbeing, waste reduction and many good causes/charities – it’s a Win Win Win scenario!!!” Funded by grants from the Allen Lane Foundation and the Borough of Poole and Poole Wellbeing Collaborative, this new project will build on the success of their growing Win on Waste™ network as Monique Munroe, Ideas2Action’s Business Manager explains:  “We know from running Win on Waste™ sessions that they give many older people a lot of pleasure. They hate waste and like the fact that they can help good causes with it rather than put it in the bin.  We therefore thought about all those older people who are unable to physically get to a session.  How could we help give them the same opportunities?  So the idea for Win on Waste on Wheels was born.” Simon and a team of volunteers will spend time visiting older housebound people living in the Parkstone and Poole Town areas […]

2050 – the year by which many areas of England could run out of water. The Background In its May 2018 report, the Environment Agency states that abstraction of water in this country is currently running at unsustainable levels in 20% of rivers, meaning we are living on resources ‘borrowed’ from the future. Of fresh water in the UK, 36% is used for electricity supply and other industries, which should prompt us to consider everything we buy or use in terms of how much water is required to create it. Anything that is produced by industry – and that includes the food and farming industries – uses huge amounts of water. One kilo of beef uses 15415 litres. One kilo of chocolate consumes 17196 litres. So whether we are eating bananas or cheese, buying prescription drugs, cotton clothes or new technology, unbelievably vast amounts of water are required to grow, process or produce them. Ways to save water We can save water by making things last longer, clothes being a prime example. Proctor and Gamble have found that washing in cooler water (30-40 degrees) extends the life of one 3kg basket of clothes by 4 times, saving 230k of Co2 […]

Community Fridges – The new Sustainable way to Share Food Community fridges act exactly as the name suggests. They are fridges in the public domain, with food often nearing its end date that are donated to the local community. The food is given by households, or supermarkets, restaurants and shops. Community fridges are a novel idea and are a step away from the red tape involved in food banks. To secure food from food banks, you need to be referred to the service. Community fridges are open to anyone. The first community fridge was introduced by Hubbub in Swadlincote, South Derbyshire as part of its work with the Sainsbury’s ‘Waste less, Save more’ campaign. The fridge gives residents access to excess food that is shared through local businesses. It helps to connect the community, helps families save money and reduces waste. Some people donate food from their gardens and allotments; and fresh vegetables and fruit are always welcome. Since the first trailblazer community fridge in Swadlincote, Hubbub have set up a national campaign to get more community fridges on board. Locally, there are community fridges in Bridport, and Bournemouth and Poole have recently followed suit with Dorchester soon to get […]

Sustainable health – for you and the planet. One way of living lightly on the planet is to consider Complementary and Alternative Medicines (CAM) wherever possible, for yourself and your family. Alternative healing systems are largely very sustainable; that is, sustainable for your health as well as for the planet. They generally use small amounts of natural resources – eg homeopathy – or none at all, as in Reiki.  Because they are based on natural substances or energy they are much safer and can often restore actual health as opposed to merely masking or suppressing the symptoms (which will never make for sustainable health). One simple way of maintaining sustainable health is to use the Bach Flower Remedies.  They are made from flowers that grow profusely in the wild – think of all the candles on a Horse Chestnut tree – but only tiny amounts of the petals are used to produce a bottle of remedy.  They are bottled in glass and only 2 drops are required at a time.   Discovered and developed by a medical doctor 80 years ago, the remedies are gentle, safe, natural, non-toxic, non-addictive and can be used alongside any other medication.  The system is […]

Organisations Recognised for going Above and Beyond. On Friday 6th July Avonbourne Trust held its annual Earth Charter Awards, at the Green House Hotel. The Trust located in Bournemouth comprises Avonbourne College, Harewood College and Avonwood Primary – the UK’s first Earth Charter school. The Earth Charter is an international declaration of fundamental principles for building a just, sustainable, and peaceful global society and these principles are incorporated into everyday school life. Students can win achievement points for demonstrating that they are following Earth Charter principles: RESPECT AND CARE FOR THE COMMUNITY OF LIFE ALL FORMS OF LIFE ARE INTERCONNECTED EVERYONE DESERVES EQUAL OPPORTUNITY PROTECT FREEDOMS AND CREATE PEACE The awards ceremony is the culmination of a process in which Avonbourne and Harewood College students were asked to nominate, judge and award local businesses and organisations that go above and beyond in instilling green principles and human values. The Winners for 2018 were: Transition Bournemouth  Award for Most Environmentally Friendly Ethos Transition Bournemouth helps bring people together to create a better, more sustainable, resilient, and environmentally friendly place for us all to live. Bournemouth University Award for Engagement in Sustainability Students at BU have opportunities to develop their sustainability knowledge and skills through the […]

How did you fare in Plastic Free July? We are becoming accustomed to months being dedicated to certain causes, such as November Movember (in aid of prostate cancer) and Stoptober October (to give up smoking). And this month of July is no exception, as the global challenge to reduce single-use plastic has been at the top of the sustainability agenda. The aptly named ‘Plastic Free July’ (which comes from an on-going initiative in Australia) gives us lots of information on how to reduce plastic waste during the month of July. It’s an issue which has hit the headlines this year – with more than eight million tonnes of plastic being dumped into our oceans every year. With Dorset set along one of Britain’s most beautiful coastlines, the county has a big job to do to help. Nationally, people are now getting behind the Facebook campaign to pick up three pieces of plastic every time they visit the coast. Packaging accounts for just over 40% of total plastic usage. Also, over 100 billion plastic beverage bottles are sold in the U.S alone each year. Annually, approximately 500 billion plastic bags are used worldwide each with a “working life” of just 15 […]

A Great Loss to the Sustainability Community. It is with a deep sense of sadness that we all at Sustainable Dorset (Dorset Agenda 21) learnt of the all too premature death of Paul McIntosh. Paul was a dedicated and passionate believer in sustainable living and spent his working life supporting this cause in Dorset. During that time through a variety of contract jobs, research projects and committee work Paul gained extensive knowledge and depth of understanding of the subject area. This expertise, together with his IT skills, enabled him to make effective contributions to the development of sustainability programmes for 3rd sector voluntary organisations including Sustainable Dorset (Dorset Agenda 21). After graduating from the University of the South West in 2005 with a degree in Geography, Paul started as a volunteer with Dorset Agenda 21 (da21) working with Sally Cooke, its then manager, and soon afterwards joined the Board of Trustees of the Charity. Following the departure of Sally from da21 in 2007 Paul, assisted on a part time basis managing the day to day activities of the charity until 2016 including its new website which he had initiated and subsequently made a major contribution to its development. In addition […]

Litter picking – groups to join. More local businesses and organisations are asking us about litter picks – who they can join and where.  Here’s a few to contact – let us know if there’s more in Dorset we should add! LitterFreeCoast Litter Free Purbeck dorsetdevils Poole Enviroteers Litter Free Dorset Leave Only Footprints (c/o BCP Council) Marine Conservation Society – mcsuk.org     More information on waste on our Waste page

  A Lottery win for Green Living. We have been awarded nearly £10,000 by the National Lottery Community Fund to support our exciting new Dorset Green Living Project.  The aim of this one-year pilot project will engage groups of neighbours to work together to reduce their carbon footprint whilst saving money on their bills and building stronger local communities.  The new funding from The National Lottery Community Fund has enabled us to set up the Project and recruit a coordinator, Rachel Lamb, who began work September 2019.   Since the release of the IPCC report last September, when scientists warned that ‘the 1.5C goal will require a drastic cut in greenhouse emissions’ within 12 years to avoid runaway climate change, ‘eco-anxiety’ has been on the rise.  In Dorset people are becoming increasingly worried that failure to act will result in more flooding or wildfires ruining our precious countryside and causing severe food shortages and price rises.  With greater focus on climate change and its impacts along with a heightened awareness in plastic contaminating the plastic, people are looking at ways that they can reduce their own impact.   The project is designed to help people regain hope via positive actions to […]

Easy steps to greener living with Dorset Green Living Project. Sustainable Dorset’s Green Living Project has been awarded £10,000 by the National Lottery Community Fund to launch a project that may potentially help up to 160 households around Dorset reduce their carbon footprint. Groups of between 6-8 local households will come together to work through the Dorset Green Living Guide.  This manual is based on the guide developed by Transition Streets (formerly Transition Together) to give households the tools and information to help them minimise their carbon footprint and save money at the same time. Each group will meet every 2 to 4 weeks to discuss each chapter and choose which lifestyle changes or minor home improvements to complete within the following month.   The idea behind it is a group effort and run in a fair and organised way, so each group will agree at the beginning who will host each chapter and at which house, so that no one person feels overburdened with responsibility. The chapters cover basic principles of green living such as reducing energy and water consumption, eating more plant-based foods that are local and organic, reducing waste, using greener means of transport and community building. The idea […]

Our schools poetry competition results. During the autumn of 2019 we ran a poetry competition for children in Years 3-6 (aged 7-11) in Dorset schools on the theme of climate breakdown, the environment and sustainability.   We were delighted to learn that a number of the schools encouraged many of their classes to write something, and then they submitted the best.  In all we had 165 entries and our grateful thanks go to all the teachers who spent time educating these young people about such important issues.   The competition was judged by Anne Peterson of SOUTH poetry magazine and was partly sponsored by Wessex Water.  We were also most grateful to BCP Libraries for hosting the prize-giving event. Here are some of the Winning poems

A campaign announced by CPRE (the Campaign to Protect Rural England) in their latest newsletter is reaching out to have a Re-think of the Dorset Local Plan. You may have read earlier this month that sources for the government confirmed that they will be pausing their unpopular plans to change planning rules. While we await the formal announcement, CPRE urges Mr Gove to listen to local communities and not developers when considering the future of planning. Dorset CPRE and Dorset CAN (Climate Action Network) are also awaiting the publication of the responses to the Dorset Local Plan before formally launching the campaign for ‘Re-think of Dorset Local Plan’.  Additionally, there is a question being put to Dorset Council Cabinet Meeting on the 5th October. See it below:“In view of the number of responses to the consultation on the Dorset Local Plan, the fact that BCP Council are challenging their housing target, the unknown effects of Brexit and Covid-19, the stalling of the government proposals to the planning system, and the reported problems of capacity within the planning service at Dorset Council, we are asking ‘Why is the Dorset Council not seeking a legal

The issue of nitrate and phosphate pollution of rivers was raised at the CPRE Countryside Forum (Campaign for Protection of Rural England) Meeting on 17th September. Suzanne Keene has written an article highlighting the issue for our Autumn Magazine (due out week beginning 18th October) following a Farm Meeting on ‘Diversify your rotation’ hosted by Wessex Water. Of particular interest, are ways to control the pollution that is poisoning our streams and rivers.Nitrates are washed out of the soil during agricultural activities, and phosphates are mainly generated from domestic wastewater. The phosphates neutrality crisis is preventing planning permissions from being granted across much of the area in Somerset and could particularly impact smaller developments in Dorset that may not be able to afford an expensive system to deal with the issue. 

Dorset CAN is trying to make all the different actions that are taking place in Dorset at this important moment more visible. Please let DCAN know if you are marking COP26 so that it can help promote and support your actions in the final run-up to Glasgow at the start of next month.How can DCAN help you?1. DCAN is organising an online COP26 event on 13th October with a presentation from local Climate Reality leaders. They aim can give attendees a mini speaker’s slot at that meeting to share your event/s, and/or DCAN can circulate your plans to its members at the event.2. The team at DCAN can promote your community’s actions on social media, our website and in our newsletter in the run-up to COP 26.What next?Please send dorsetcan@gmail.com any images, details and links of your action(s) – so we can share and publicise widely. And let us know if you want a mini slot at the meeting.If you haven’t got plans yet, come along to the DCAN COP26 event for information, inspiration and to build a sense of community! No registration necessary. Here’s the  Zoom Link.Stronger Together Rob Waitt and Sandra ReeveFor the Dorset CAN Action Team

Earlier this year in May, Blandford’s first-ever ‘Community Fridge’ opened, with the support of environmental charity Hubbub UK, in a growing effort to tackle food waste. Work started on the project in September 2020 and online meetings have been held since then with volunteers and representatives from Blandford Forum Town Council, the Blandford Group Practice, Blandford Youth & Community Centre and Public Health Dorset. Funding has been forthcoming from the Dorset Council and Blandford Forum Town Council, with a commitment to funding made by the Georgian Fayre, the Carnival Committee and Sandisons Ltd (Accountancy firm). The fridge, located at Blandford Youth & Community Centre (next to the Leisure Centre), will be open on Wednesday mornings between 9 am and 11 am, at first, for anyone to help themselves to quality food from Tesco that would otherwise be wasted. Everyone is welcome – the aim is to reduce food waste and empower communities. Food waste is a big issue in the UK. The average household throws away £700 worth of food every year and at the same time, four million people in the UK are living in food poverty. Most food waste in the UK is avoidable and could have been […]

It has been a great few weeks for the Dorset Sustainable Palm Oil Community.  We have had three new champions sign up in the last couple of weeks (the Prince of Wales First School in Dorchester, Arts University Bournemouth and Just 1 Swap, a zero-waste shop in Boscombe), joining Bournemouth University, St Osmund’s Middle School and others!  We have also been very busy talking to more potential champions (so hopefully watch this space!).  We were so delighted to see the Chester Sustainable Palm Oil City initiative as a finalist in the Earthshot Prize!  What a phenomenal achievement for all involved. I hear on the grapevine that more communities are joining including Lichfield – all good news for getting the message out to as many people as possible that sustainable palm oil is a solution to protecting and restoring nature. We have a brilliant 3 page article in the Marshwood Vale, a community magazine covering West Dorset, East Devon and South Somerset.  The article can be found here. Additionally, we have had a blog written about the initiative by the Dorchester BID (Business Improvement District) – read all about it here.  We are hoping that this will be taken up by […]

Funding remains available for the ESFA Community Training Grants programme in London North and East boroughs of the LEAP, Dorset, and Thames Valley Berkshire LEP. The programme aims to support projects which will move unemployed and economically inactive people closer to the labour market and can support a very diverse range of activities (both formal and informal training).   The funding opportunities are also on Groundwork’s social media channels, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn. The next application deadline is 10am, 14th January 2022, with an opportunity to submit draft applications and have these reviewed in time for the final deadline by 10am, 4th January 2022. Ahead of this deadline, we will be hosting 2 online Zoom sessions to discuss the programme, provide application guidance and support, and explain how to apply (24/11 and 10/12), for which applicants can still register: You are invited to a Zoom meeting.When: Nov 24, 2021 02:00 PM LondonRegister in advance for this meeting:https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0rcuGurTMiG9ZDsbCDQbFn5Bjut7EITP9J